Ron Funches

Ron Funches
Funches in 2015
Birth nameRonald Kyle Funches
Born (1983-03-12) March 12, 1983 (age 41)
Carson, California, U.S.[1]
Medium
  • Stand-up
  • television
  • film
Years active2006–present
Genres
Subject(s)
Children2
Websiteronfunches.com Edit this at Wikidata

Ronald Kyle Funches (born March 12, 1983) is an American comedian and actor. Born in California, Funches spent his early life in Chicago before relocating to Salem, Oregon, as a teenager. He began his comedy career in Portland, Oregon, at age 23. After moving to Los Angeles in 2012, he began appearing as a guest on several comedy series, including @midnight, Mulaney, and Kroll Show.

From 2014 to 2016, Funches starred as a regular on the NBC series Undateable, and in 2015, began performing as a voice actor on such series as BoJack Horseman, The Adventures of Puss in Boots, and Adventure Time. He subsequently performed the voice role of Cooper in the animated film Trolls (2016). He also had guest-starring roles on a number of television series, including Transparent (2016), Black-ish (2017), and reprised the role of Cooper in the Trolls spin-off series Trolls: The Beat Goes On! (2018).

Beginning in 2019, he began voicing the roles of King Shark in the DC Comics TV series Harley Quinn and Fox in the TBS/Adult Swim TV series Final Space. In 2020, Funches again reprised the role of Cooper in the sequel film Trolls World Tour. Starting in 2020, Funches voiced Ron on the Netflix series Hoops. In 2021, Funches began voicing Kevin in the FX series Poorly Drawn Lines.

Early life

[edit]

Ronald Kyle Funches was born in Carson, California,[2] but spent his early life with his mother and sister in the Woodlawn neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois.[3][1] Funches' mother was a social worker.[1] When he was 13 years old, he moved to Salem, Oregon, to live with his father, who was employed there as a pipefitter.[1]

He graduated from Douglas McKay High School in Salem, where he took English courses,[3][1] and was inspired by writers such as Molière, J. D. Salinger, William Faulkner, and Erich Maria Remarque.[1] After high school, Funches relocated to Portland, Oregon, where he worked a variety of jobs, including at a bank call center and as a clerk at a Grocery Outlet store.[1][3]

Career

[edit]
Funches performing in 2010 at the Clinton Street Theater, Portland, Oregon

Funches began pursuing stand-up comedy at the age of 23 in Portland.[3][1] After having a small role on an episode of Portlandia in 2011,[4][5][6] he relocated to Los Angeles in 2012.[1] Beginning in 2013, he was a regular panelist on the comedy series @midnight, had a recurring role in the comedy series Crash & Bernstein (2013), and worked as a writer on The Eric Andre Show and Comedy Central's The Half Hour (2014). Also in 2014, Funches performed as a regular comic panelist on Chelsea Lately.[7][8][9]

Beginning in 2014, Funches appeared in several episodes of Drunk History, and in 2015, performed numerous guest-starring voice roles on the animated series BoJack Horseman, The Adventures of Puss in Boots, and Adventure Time.

Funches subsequently starred as Shelly on the NBC comedy series Undateable from 2014 until the series' conclusion in 2016.[10][3][11] Funches also had a supporting role in the 2015 comedy film Get Hard.

In 2016, he voiced the role of Cooper in the animated film Trolls,[12] Also in 2016, Funches guest-starred on numerous series, such as Another Period, Take My Wife, and Transparent.

Beginning in 2019, he began voicing the role of King Shark in the DC Comics TV series Harley Quinn and the role of Fox in the TBS series Final Space. He played the recurring character "Funchy" in season 3 (2019) of the CBS sitcom Man with a Plan. Funches reprised his role of Cooper in the Trolls sequel, Trolls World Tour (2020). Funches also voiced Shag Rugg on the 2021 HBO Max television series Jellystone!.[13]

On April 20, 2021, Funches became host of a new spinoff of the iconic Chopped cooking competition series. The new show, streaming on Discovery+, called Chopped: 420 where the cheftestants have to make cannabis infused gourmet meals.[14]

Influences

[edit]

Funches has cited Lucille Ball, Dave Chappelle, and Mitch Hedberg as major influences on his comedy.[15] Commenting on Ball, he said: "I Love Lucy was kind of my introduction to the world of comedy in general. And when you look at the history of Lucille Ball, and the work that she did for women in Hollywood, having her own production company, and also showing an interracial marriage on TV in the ’50s, to me, she’s just one of my biggest influences overall as a human being. That's what it means to be a professional and what it means to stand up for yourself even though interracial marriage has nothing to do with a career."[16]

Personal life

[edit]

Funches had his first son, Malcolm, when he was 20 years old.[17] He mentions Malcolm's autism in his standup routine and welcomes fans sharing their stories with him.[3][11][18][19] He married Christina Dawn in August 2020. They had a son, Funches's second child, in 2022.[20][21][22] In October 2022, they separated.[23][24]

Funches is an avid video gamer[25][26] and wrestling fan, having taken classes at a wrestling school for a few months.[27] Eventually Funches made his in-ring debut at GCW in September 2021 in a match against Tony Deppen that featured Paul Scheer as his cornerman and interference from Danhausen.[28] In August 2022 he started his wrestling podcast One Fall with Ron Funches.[29]

He told Adam Carolla that he had once weighed 360 pounds. Funches said that over a few years he lost around 140 pounds.[30]

Filmography

[edit]

Film

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2014 Night Night with Ron Funches Himself Writer; short film for Funny or Die
Night Night with Ron Funches Ep 2
2015 Movie Mind Machine Ron Short film
Get Hard Jojo [31]
2016 Donald Trump's The Art of the Deal: The Movie Member of The Fat Boys [32]
Trolls Cooper Voice role [12]
2017 Once Upon a Time in Venice Mocha [33]
Killing Hasselhoff Bill
2019 Jexi Craig
Noelle Elf Mortimer
6 Underground Blaine's cousin / the funeral speaker
Lucky Sammy Voice role
2020 Sylvie's Love Tank
Underlings Sal Voice role
Trolls World Tour Cooper
The One and Only Ivan Murphy
Golden Arm Carl
2021 Dark Web: Cicada 3301 Avi
2022 Cheaper by the Dozen Seth's Neighbor
Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Underground Rock Experience Les Pants Voice role
2023 80 for Brady Chip
Under the Boardwalk Anemone Voice role
Trolls Band Together Cooper
Good Burger 2 Jimathy
2024 Inside Out 2 Bloofy Voice role; also performed "Bloofy's House Theme Song" [34][35]

Television

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2011 Portlandia Baseball Player Episode: "Baseball"
2013 Crash & Bernstein Roland 5 episodes
Dead Kevin Homeless King Episode: "How Not to Rob a Liquor Store"
New Girl Street Musician Episode: "First Date"
2014 Mulaney Rodney aka Tall Tucan Episode: "It's a Wonderful Home Alone"
The Eric Andre Show — Writer
Episode: "Seth Rogen; Asa Akira"
Selfie Wayne Episode: "Traumatic Party Stress Disorder"
The Half Hour Himself Stand-up special
Bob's Burgers Horseplay / Patrick 2 episodes
Voice role 		[36]
Enlisted Private Huggins Episode: "Pilot"
2014–2015 Kroll Show Himself Actor: 4 episodes
Writer: 11 episodes
2014–2016 Undateable Shelly 36 episodes
Drunk History Various 3 episodes [36]
2015 Cougar Town Marty Episode: "To Find a Friend"
BoJack Horseman Levi Episode: "Chickens"
Voice role
The Adventures of Puss in Boots Fartholomew Fishflinger Episode: "Mouse"
Voice role
Adventure Time The Fool 2 episodes in Stakes
Voice role
2016 Great Minds with Dan Harmon Idi Amin Episode: "Idi Amin"
2016 Another Period Hamish's Cellmate 2 episodes
The Lion Guard Ajabu Episode: "The Imaginary Okapi"
Voice role
Harmonquest Captain Ribs Sanchez Episode: "Across the Dernum Sea"
Cupcake Wars Himself Episode: "Josie and the Pussycats" [31]
Home: Adventures with Tip & Oh Sharzod 45 episodes
Voice role
Take My Wife Ron Episode: "Headliner"
Transparent Fredrick Episode: "Elizah"
2017 Drive Share Nicky Nitro Episode: "The Light Source"
Black-ish Ledarius Episode: "I'm a Survivor" [36]
The Goldbergs Froy 2 episodes [36]
Powerless Ron 12 episodes [36]
We Bare Bears Wyatt Episode: "Road Trip"
Voice role
Future Man Ray Episode: "Pilot"
Trolls Holiday Cooper TV special
Voice role
2018 A.P. Bio Hans 2 episodes [36]
Talk Show The Game Show Himself 1 episodes [37]
OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes Sparko 4 episodes
Voice role
2018–2019 Trolls: The Beat Goes On! Cooper 65 episodes
Voice role 		[36]
2019 Infinity Train Khaki Bottoms Episode: "The Ball Pit Car"
Voice role
Man with a Plan Funchy 3 episodes [36]
Twelve Forever Manquin 25 episodes
Voice role 		[36]
2019–2021 Final Space Fox Voice role
18 episodes
2019–present Harley Quinn King Shark 23 episodes
Voice role 		[36]
2019 Ron Funches: Giggle Fit Himself Stand-up special
2019–present Crank Yankers 2 episodes
Voice role 		[38]
2020 Central Park Danny Episode: "Squirrel, Interrupted"
Voice role
Room 104 Charlie Episode: "Oh, Harry!"
Hoops Ron 10 episodes
Voice role
The Last Blockbuster Himself
Nice One! Host, writer
Top Secret Videos[39]
Match Game Episode: "Joel McHale, Amanda Seales, Ron Funches, Ana Gasteyer, Rob Huebel, Nikki Glaser"
2020–2022 Trolls: TrollsTopia Cooper 52 episodes
Voice role
2021–present The Great North Jerry Shaw Recurring
Voice role
2021 Nailed It! Himself/Judge Episode: "Burbank State Fair"
Chopped 420 Himself/host 5 episodes
2021–present Jellystone! Shag Rugg, Astro, Hong Kong Phooey Voice role
2021–2022 Inside Job Mothman
2021 Poorly Drawn Lines Kevin
Trolls: Holiday in Harmony Cooper TV special
Voice role
A Tale Dark & Grimm Jacob Voice role
2022–present Loot Howard Main role
2023–present Rock Paper Scissors Rock Voice role
2024 After Midnight Himself Episode #26
Ariel Delfino Episode: "The Singing Dolphin"
Voice role

Other accomplishments

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Turnquist, Kristi (July 29, 2012). "Rising star, comedian Ron Funches outgrows Portland, leaves for Los Angeles". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on July 18, 2019. Retrieved March 16, 2016.
  2. ^ Funches, Ron (July 6, 2022). #203 - Couples Therapy with Ali Macofsky. Gettin' Better with Ron Funches. Retrieved July 12, 2022 – via YouTube.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Duelund, Theis (May 28, 2014). "7 Things you Need to Know About Comedian Ron Funches". Los Angeles Magazine. Retrieved March 16, 2016.
  4. ^ Crowder, Courtney (June 4, 2014). "Ron Funches on NBC's 'Undateable'". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
  5. ^ Cutler, Jacqueline (May 29, 2014). "'Undateable': Ron Funches 'giggles 'like an Asian princess'". Zap2it. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
  6. ^ Turnquist, Kristi (May 31, 2014). "TV Rewind: Ron Funches on 'Undateable'; 'Mad Men' midseason finale; 'Downton Abbey,' more". The Oregonian. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
  7. ^ "Chelsea Lately". Ron Funches. Archived from the original on 5 April 2015. Retrieved 29 June 2015.
  8. ^ "Watch Chelsea Lately S8E119 Online - Ethan Hawke, Ron Funches, Sarah Colonna, Ross Mathews". SideReel. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
  9. ^ "Ron Funches Can't Stop Giggling on Chelsea Lately". The Interrobang. August 7, 2014. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
  10. ^ Hinds, Julie (August 1, 2014). "4 theories on why NBC renewed Detroit-centric sitcom 'Undateable'". Detroit Free Press. Archived from the original on August 2, 2014. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
  11. ^ a b Socci, Blair (August 5, 2013). "Talking to Ron Funches About Standup, LA, and His First Sitcom Acting Gig". Splitsider. Retrieved March 16, 2016.
  12. ^ a b Vlessing, Etan (April 14, 2016). "Zooey Deschanel, Jeffrey Tambor Join DreamWorks Animation's 'Trolls'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on September 8, 2016. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  13. ^ "Login • Instagram". z-p42.www.instagram.com. Retrieved 2021-08-26. {{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help)
  14. ^ "Stream It Or Skip It: 'Chopped 420' On Discovery+, Where Four Chefs Compete To Make Dishes That Incorporate Cannabis". Decider. 2021-04-20. Retrieved 2022-01-27.
  15. ^ Variety Staff (May 9, 2015). "Cameo critic: Ron Funches loves 'I Love Lucy'". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on April 30, 2020.
  16. ^ MacPherson, Guy (July 5, 2017). "From wrestling to Lucille Ball, comedian Ron Funches mixes it up". The Georgia Straight. Archived from the original on April 30, 2020.
  17. ^ "Ron Funches Celebrates His Son Malcolm on Autism Awareness Day: 'Teaches Me So Much Every Day'". Peoplemag. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  18. ^ Pashman, Dan (21 April 2015). "Comic Ron Funches' Autistic Son Loves Oreos With Bacon". Huffington Post. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
  19. ^ Nailen, Dan (June 28, 2018). "Ron Funches' "open-hearted, optimistic" comedy helps him stand out in stand-up". Inlander. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  20. ^ "Inside Scoop: Hanging With UNDATEABLE's David Fynn & Ron Funches". Oh So Gray. 17 March 2015. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
  21. ^ Ron Funches on Facebook Watch, retrieved 2020-04-09
  22. ^ "Ron Funches on How Parenting Is Different the Second Time Around". Jennifer Hudson Show. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  23. ^ Naumann, Ryan (2023-01-05). "Comedian Ron Funches' Estranged Wife Demands Spousal Support, Primary Custody Of 8-Month Old". RadarOnline. Retrieved 2023-01-12.
  24. ^ "Comedian Ron Funches Files For Divorce After 'Pandemic Wedding'". www.yahoo.com. 17 November 2022. Retrieved 2023-01-12.
  25. ^ Husband, Andrew (16 November 2015). "Ron Funches Discusses Video Games, Giggles And 'The Funches Of Us'". Uproxx. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
  26. ^ Kodner, Matt (18 October 2013). "What are you playing this weekend? Ron Funches, comedian". The Gameological Society. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
  27. ^ "Stand-up comedian Ron Funches brings positivity and pot-sitivity to KC". The Pitch. 2022-08-12. Retrieved 2023-01-12.
  28. ^ Blanchard, Matthew (2021-09-19). "Actor Ron Funches Proves Himself In The Ring With GCW". The Overtimer. Retrieved 2023-01-12.
  29. ^ "One Fall with Ron Funches". Spotify. Retrieved 2023-01-12.
  30. ^ "Ron Funches". The Adam Carolla Show. 2 May 2017. Retrieved 14 May 2017.
  31. ^ a b Ramos, Dino-Ray (October 28, 2019). "Quibi Greenlights Comedy Game Show 'Nice One!' With Ron Funches". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 1, 2020.
  32. ^ Barclay, Douglas (February 11, 2016). "Funny or Die made a satirical Trump 'biopic' that raised the bar for absurdist humor". Dayton Daily News. Archived from the original on May 1, 2020.
  33. ^ Heath, Josh (June 8, 2017). "Once Upon a Time in Venice". CutPrintFilm. Archived from the original on May 1, 2020.
  34. ^ Anderton, Ethan (2024-04-16). "Inside Out 2 Introduces Two New Scene-Stealing Characters With Very Different Animation Styles". SlashFilm. Retrieved 2024-04-16.
  35. ^ "Disney and Pixar's 'Inside Out 2' Reveals New Trailer and Voice Cast". thewaltdisneycompany.com. March 7, 2024. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  36. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Ron Funches Credits". TV Guide. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  37. ^ Wright, Megh (January 11, 2018). "truTV Announces a Pile of Premiere Dates, New Series, and Shows in Development". Vulture. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
  38. ^ "Crank Yankers: Aubrey Plaza, Ron Funches and Derek Waters". Comedy Central. April 9, 2020. Archived from the original on May 1, 2020.
  39. ^ "Top Secret Videos".
  40. ^ Ron Funches beats Laura James by forfeit to win DDT Pro Wrestling Ironman Heavymetalweight Title (video). 26 July 2016. Retrieved 26 August 2016 – via YouTube.
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